Conveyer system



Ban. 3, 1928 T. 5. KNAP CONVEYER SYSTEM Original Filed July 26, 1921 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 ve1mar Jan. 3, 1928.

T. s. KNAP CONVEYER SYSTEM Original Filed July 26. 1 1 3 Sheets-$heet 3 flier Patients; in; 3, 192a.

UNITED STATES h re ns.

TIIOIAS B. KN'AP, OPEST ORANGE, NEW JERSEY, .ASSIGNQR TO THE LAMSGN' 80M- PANY, F QYRCUSE, NEW

YORK,- a oonronanzost OF MASSACHUSETTS.

oonvnrnn essrsm.

December 28, 1926.

This invention relates to conveyer systems and is especially concerned with systems in which mechanism is employed for automaticslly switching or diverting the articles conveyed from one part of the system to another. It is the chief object of the 111- vention to devise a system in which the switching or diverting of conveyers in a predetermined manner' can be performed without interruption or attention, and especially to provide means for preventing the bunching or jamming of .the carriers at the switching points. The invention involves both a novel organization of conveyer system and also a novel mechanism for spacing the carriers in the system and is a division of my application Serial No. 487,610, filed July 26, 1921.

The nature of the invention will be read ily understood from the following description when read in connection with the accompanying drawings. and the novel features will be particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

Referring now to the drawings,

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a portion of a conveyer system including features embodying the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the-switching mechanism shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of a carrier spacing V mechanism forming part of the conveyer systom; and

Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the mechanism shown in Fig. 3.

The system shown comprises a conveyor belt 2 having upper and lower rear-hes. as best shown in Fig. 4, the upper reach being supported on a series of rolls 3, and the low or reach on similar rolls 4. The upper reach of the belt travels in the direction indicated by the arrow 5, Fig. 4, and in the arrangement shown the carriers A are delivered to this belt by a roller conveyor 6.

The belt 2 delivers carriers to one or more stations, nated at 7, Fig. 1. and consisting of a conveyer of the roller type which diverges from the main conveyer 2. For the purpose of diverting carriers into the station, a switch mechanism is provided comprising a switch bar 8 secured fast to an upright rod 9 which preferably is mounted at its upper and lowor ends in ball bearings that are supported one of such stations being desig- 80. 48?,610. Divided and this application filed Serial No. 156,552.

in a suitable frame work. enables the divertor arm or switch bar 8 to swing freely from the-full line position, Fig. l, to the dotted line position and back again. A truss rod 10, Fig. 2, connects the divertor arm with the upper part of the rod 9 and steadies the arm.- Another arm or bar 12, hereinafter designated the operating arm or actuator bar, is pivoted at 13, Fig. 2, in the forked upper end of a post 14 which is mounted in bearing brackets 15-15 secured to a stationary support 16 so that the post can rotate about its vertical axis. The arm 12 thus is enabled to swing both in a horizontal plane about the pivot 14 and also in a vertical plane about the pivot 13. This arm is extended beyond the pivot 13 and has a weight-17. Fig. 1, adjustably secured thereto and of such a mass as to nearly counterbalance the weight the tipping movement about the pivot 13 will require very little effort. A truss rod 18 is also connected with the rod 12 to steady it. The operating arm 12 is connected with the switch arm 8 through a strap 19, Fig. 1. and a post 20. the post being secured rigidly to the arm 8 and projecting formed between 1y shown in Fig. 1. Normally the operating arm 12 is held in the is shown in full lines. Fig. 1, by means of a weight 21, Fig. 2. connected to this arm through a cord or chain 22 running over a pulley 23 supported on the upper end of the frame piece 24. The carriers A each consists of a box having dissimilar ends. one end being square while the upper part of the box at the opposite end is bevelled. as indicated at 25, Fig. 2. belt 2 in the direction indicated by the arrow26. while the empty boxes are laced in the direction indicated by the arrow 27. In other words, the full boxes conveyor belt with their sq most, while the empty boxestravel with their bevelled ends foremost. Consequently, when a full box reaches the operating arm 12 it will swing this arm across the conveyor belt 2, as indicated by the direction or the arrow 28, Fig. 1, carrying the switch arm 8 with it,- and thereby such a position that it The movement of thg This construction into the slotthe parts 12 and 19, as clearposition in which it The full boxes are placed on the conveyer' travel on the uare ends fore-.

see

of the arm 12 so that moving this arm into.

switch arm produced in. this manner is lim-- ited by a stop 29. As soon as this epci stion has been completed, the counteiwveight 2L swings both the arms 8 and 12 back again to their original or normal positions.

When an em ty box is carried to the switch mechanism by the conveyor belt 2. the inclined face 25 which, as'ahove stated. is foremost, will strike the arm 12 and tip this arm upwardly into the position inclicated in dotted lines; in 2, the box then will pass under this arm and continue its travel along the conveyor belt 2.

empty boxes, therefore, will not hetlivcrtcai.

Since the divertor arm 8 is positioned. only a relatively short distance above the surface of the belt 2, its action on the carriers is ver positive.

It is desirable et certain times to render this diverting mechanism inoperative, as for instance, when the station 7 is filled with carriers, and also immediately after a. ho has entered this station and (hiring which time it is desired that other full boxes he allowed. to travel along the belt to supply other stations. For this purpose a horizontal rock shaft 31 is mounted in it part of the frame Work and has rigidly scour thereto a plate or arm 32 in position to he struck d lifted by the edge of a box or carrier immecliately'e'fter it has entered the station. The movement thus imparted to the rock shaft 31 is transmitted through an arm 33. Fig. 2, fast on this rock shaft. it link 3A. a. hell crank 35, rod 36, and a bell 37 to an upright rod. the upper end of ich is turned over as inilicsteil at 39, Fig. 1, and passes through a staple 4. secured to the rearward end of the arm The three tion of this movement is such as to tip the operating srni 12 into its raiseti or inopera tive position, as indicated in clotted. lines in Fig. 2, and it will be held in this posh time until the carrier has moved out or gagement with the plate During this period, therefore, succeeding carriers will travel uninterruptedly along the conveyor belt 2 Whether they are full or empty.

It is desirable for several reasons that the carriers be separated from each other on the conveyor belt by et least certain minimum space intervals. Fo instance, it 5*. full box .fOllDWS immediately behind. on empty one,

the operating arm .12 may not time in time to catch For this purpose on iilltOiniltiC spacing mechanism of novel. construction is provided which is best shown in Figs. 3 and 4. This mechenisrii comprises a. grate 42 which is substantially Ushapeil end straddles the conveyer belt, its two vertical legs one of which is shown at 4.3, Fig. 4, resting, respectively, on the surfaces of two cams i -i positioned at opposite sides of the conveyor. Both of these came to a. shaft 45 which is supported in suitable bearings. The guitiezi in the frame 46 for up and. down movement. A gear l? secured fast to the shaft 45 is driven by a pinion e8 securetl to another shaft which oerries :1 roll 49 that runs in contact with the lower reach of the belt and is driven thereby. This mechanism thus imparts a relatively slow rotative iiiov'ement to the It will be observed from the shape of the cares that the gate is normally in its lowermost position. 21ml that in this position it will catch each carrier A and stop it for a length of time depending upon the angular position ot the cams 44 at the moment that the carrier strikes the gate. hen the cam raises the gate 42, the belt moves the carrier along under the gate and the gate descends again in time to catch the next adjacent carrier and retain it tor a certain length of time. This mechanism thus operates euto- 'istically to space the carriers along the conveycrl elt and prevent any munching of them at the switching mechanism, it being understood, of course. that this spacing mechanism is placed in front of the first switch so that it acts on the carriers before they reach the, switch. By a gate 42 of the proper heignt, the mechanism will operate to space only full boxes and will allow the empty boxes to travel along the conveyor, the bevel raising 42 in the same-Way that it raises theoperating arm 1% of the switch mechanism. Usually, however, it'is pretersble to space both the full and empty boxes.

'3. will now be appreciated that this invention provides a conveyer s stem which 1 l j'i'lll spar-site with great certainty and reliability, which is of very simple construc; tion, and which entirely automatic in op oration. The construction. is such thetwear and depreciation are very slow indeed, and attention is require-cl at only very infrequent intervals it will also he unoerstootl that while I have herein shown and (leseriheclthe best embodiment of the izi f'ecticii of which I am at present aware, that this embodiment may be il'h'i-I'lififitl in many perticuiass without departing from the spirit or scope or" this invention.

I claim:

3.. A eoi'zveyer system comprising a main track means for moving ertioes along said track, it branch track diverging from the rosin t ack, 1 switch membermoi-molly closing entrance to branch track, means cogegeahle by articles of o. certain class spproeching along the main track for setting the switch member to divert. such articles into the breech track, and an automatically acting gate for spacing articles upon the main track as they approach the switch set ting means. 4

2. A. conveyor system comprising a main track and a divergent branch track, e. switch thereby -hranclr track and bar pivoted at one end adjacent to one side of the maintraek, said bar normally standing in inoperative position parallel to the side of the main track, and means actuable by an article of a predetermined character, moving along the main track, for setting the switch bar diagonally across the mam track todivert such articles into the branch track and an automatically acting gate for spacing articlcsupon the main track as they approfich the switch setting means. l

B'IA'conVeyer' system comprising a main track'and a branch track diverging from the main track, means for moving articles along the main track, a switch bar pivotally supported at one end adjacent to the junction of -he branch track with the main track and normally extending across the entrance to the branch track, a movable actuating member disposed across the main track in advance of the entrance to the branch track, and means connecting said actuating member to the switch bar, the actuating member responding to engagement by articles of a certain kind moving along the main track to move the switch bar from its normal position thereby to divert such articles into the branch track and an automatically acting gate for spacing articles upon the main-track as they approach the switch sctting'n'ieans.

4.. A conveyor system comprising a main track and a divergent branch track, means for moving articles along the main track, a switch bar pivoted at one side of the main track adjacent to the junction of the branch track with the main track and normally positioned across the entrance to the branch track, an actuator bar pivoted at the opposite side of the main track from the switch bar, and means connecting the free ends of said bars and an automatically acting gate for spacing articles upon the'main track as they approach the switch setting" means.

5. A conveycr system comprising a main track and a divergent branch track, a switch bar pivotally supported at one end at a point adjacent to the junction of the branch track with the main track and at that side of the branch track remote from arriers approaching .long the main track, means normally holding, the switch bar in inoperative position across: the entrance to the branch track, andaneans actuable by articles of a predetermined class, moving along the main track to move the switch bar to operative position to divert such articles into the an automatically acting,

Lt-gate for spacing articles upon the main track as they approach the switchsetting means. 6. Aconveycr system comprising a main I track and a' tlivergent branch track, a switch 6 at one end to swing in a plane y parallel to the plane of th antenna main track, the fulcrum point of the switch bar being adjacent to one side of the main track at the junction of the branch traclr therewith means normally holding the switch bar'in inoperative position, an actuator bar supported to swing in a plane substantially parallel to the plane of the main track and also perpendicularly to said plane, and means connecting the actuator bar-to the switch bar and an automatically acting gate for spacing articles upon the main track they approach theswitch setting means.

A conveyor system comprising a main track and a divergent branch track, a switch bar pivotally supported adjacent to one side oi? the main track, and an actuator bar pivotally supported to swing substantially parallel to the plane of the main track and also perpendicularly to said plane, one of said burs having a guide opening at its free vial and the other having an elongate finger extruding freely through said guide opening, the actuator bar normally extending transversely across the main track and an automatically acting gate for spacing articles upon the main track as they approach the switch setting means.

8. A conveyor system comprising a main track and a divergent branch track, a switch bar pivoted at one end at a point adjacent to the junction of the branch track with the main track, means normally holding said bar in inoperative position parallel to one side of the main track, and means actuable by an article moving along the main track for setting the switch bar in operative position diagonally across the main track and an autonnnzically acting gate for spacing articles upon the main track as they approach the switch setting means.

9, A conveyor system comprising a main track and a divergent branch track, a switch bar pivoted at one end at a point adjacent to the junction of the branch track with the main track, and for spacing articles upon the main track as they approach the switch setting means, said ba normally extending across the entrance to the branch track, an actuator bar pivoted at the opposite side of the main track and normally extending diagonally across the latter, means connecting the free ends of said bars, the actuator bar being free to lift when engaged by articles of one configuration thereby allowing suchnrticles to continue along the main track and swinging when engaged by articles of another kind thereby setting the switch bar in operative position to divert such articles into the branch trac'k.

Signed by me at New York city, N. Y., this fifteenth day of December, 1926.

THOMAS s. KNAP.

an automatically acting gate 

